Three Rules of Concentration
by Splinter
Summary: Companion to "The Taskmaster." Just something I thought of while watching a children's class at my dojo.


Three Rules of Concentration  
  
TMNT belong to Mirage studios, not me.  
Dedicated to the four and five year olds at my martial arts dojo and to the wonderfully patient instructors that train them.  
  
  
  
By the time Splinter had gotten up that morning, his four turtle students had   
already begun their day. Michaelangelo and Raphael were crowded around the   
small black and white television that he had found only this past week. Donatello   
was sitting in the chair flipping through a book that seemed way too long for a child   
of seven and Leonardo was lying on the floor, crayons and paper out drawing   
carefully on a piece of construction paper.   
  
Splinter clapped his hands drawing their attention. "Come now, it is time for   
practice." He ignored their collective groans as they all got to their feet to follow   
him into the dojo.  
  
"Sprints, around the floor," Splinter instructed after they had bowed to him.  
  
Raphael took off like a shot to run laps around the training room. He was followed closely by Michaelangelo and the two of them began to race. Leonardo trailed a few steps behind as did Donatello, both of them pacing themselves just in case Splinter was going to make this a long running session.  
  
After several minutes, Raphael began to slow up a bit, his energy spent. Michaelangelo laughed as he passed him. The youngest's energy knew no limits. Raphael growled and sped up to try to overtake him but Mike sped up as well. Frustrated, Raphael got just close enough to trip his brother up. He and Mike fell to the floor. Donatello and Leonardo, who were just behind them, tried to jump to avoid falling over them and ended up crashing into each other. The result was a pile of turtles lying on the floor trying to untangle themselves.  
  
"You tripped me!" Mike accused as he got to his feet.  
  
Raph pushed Donatello off of him. "You deserved it!"  
  
Splinter sighed and before the fight could escalate, snapped. "Raphael!"  
  
Raphael jumped to his feet and turned to his sensei.  
  
"Raphael, what are the three rules of concentration?" Splinter demanded.  
  
Raph sighed. "Focus my eyes." He pointed to his eyes. "Focus my mind." One small fist curled into the palm of his hand and he held it out in front of him. "Focus my body, Master!" Raphael snapped to attention and tried to ignore the giggling of his siblings.  
  
"And what were you not focusing?" Splinter asked.  
  
"My body, Master," Raphael replied clenching his fists at his side to keep from punching Michaelangelo who had whispered. "All three."  
  
There was a moment of silence and Raph waited anxiously. This was a familiar routine, one Splinter employed often to regain his students' attention. Sometimes, there were consequences, sometimes not. Sometimes it just depended on how much of an attitude Raphael gave him.  
  
Splinter nodded. "Line up for katas," he ordered.  
  
Raphael breathed a sigh of relief and ran with his brothers to the center of the room for katas. Splinter began with the most basic, making sure that all four of his students could keep up. There would be time for more advanced things with Leonardo and possibly Raphael during individual lessons.  
  
Splinter instructed them to continue while he watched them carefully. He frowned. Donatello seemed elsewhere as he went mechanically through the routine.  
  
"Donatello!"  
  
Donatello's head came up quickly and he blushed. He knew what he had done.  
  
"What are the three rules of concentration?" Splinter asked.  
  
Don's face turned even redder. "Focus my eyes, focus my mind, focus my body, Master!" He snapped to attention as he ran through the routine that Raphael had just done.  
  
Splinter's voice softened knowing Donatello was already embarrassed. "And what were you not focusing, My Son?"  
  
"My mind, Sensei, " he mumbled. "I'm sorry. I was just thinking about my book."  
  
Splinter smiled. "There will be plenty of time for your book. After practice."  
  
"Yes, Master," Don said quietly.  
  
After katas, Splinter sent Michaelangelo and Raphael to the side of the room so that he could watch Leonardo and Donatello spar.  
  
Making sure that Splinter wasn't watching, Mike punched Raphael lightly in the arm. "That's for tripping me," he whispered.  
  
Raphael glared at him and punched him back harder. "That's for getting me in trouble."  
  
Mike giggled. "You looked like you were really scared of sensei."  
  
"I wasn't scared," Raphael retorted heatedly.  
  
Splinter looked over at them and glared. The two turtles smiled slightly, the picture of innocence.  
  
Once Splinter had turned away, Mike started again. "My body, Master," he mimicked making his voice shake slightly.  
  
Raph stiffened. "I wasn't scared!" It was really hard to be angry when you were trying to be quiet and not draw the attention of an already irate ninja master.  
  
Mike clapped a hand over his mouth trying to stifle his laugh, but Splinter heard him.  
  
"Michaelangelo!"  
  
Raphael grinned as Mike climbed to his feet sheepishly.  
  
"What are..." Splinter trailed off and shook his head.   
  
"Master?" Mike prompted.  
  
"Michaelangelo and Raphael, you're up." Splinter turned to Leo and Don. "You may rest. Very nice round."  
  
Raph stood up and joined Mike at the center of the dojo to spar. Both turtles looked confused at why Splinter didn't ask Mike the typical "three rules of concentration" question.  
  
"Hajime," Splinter ordered giving them the command to begin. He sighed. He had been training the turtles for close to four years now and they were no more disciplined than they were when they were three. How could he ever get them ready to avenge the death of his Master Yoshi when none of the lessons he was teaching was getting through to them? His mind began to formulate alternative plans. Perhaps, instructing only Leonardo who seemed to grasp the ninjitsu concepts more easily.  
  
"Master? Master?"  
  
Splinter looked up at the sound of Leonardo's voice. Raphael and Michaelangelo had stopped their sparring and all four of his students were crowded around him looking a bit concerned.  
  
"Master, are you ok?" Leo asked worriedly.  
  
Splinter nodded with a small smile. "Yes I am fine. I was just..."  
  
"Not focusing your mind?" Mike suggested with a grin.  
  
"Or your eyes," Raphael piped up.  
  
"Or your body," Donatello said.  
  
Splinter looked shocked for a moment and then smiled. Ok, maybe some lessons were sticking with them.  



End file.
